Retail chains like TJX, the parent company of TJ Maxx and Marshalls, are equipping some store employees with body cameras to deter shoplifting and improve safety. This is part of a growing trend in the retail industry, as stores respond to an increase in organized retail theft and violence against workers. However, some criminologists and worker advocates argue that body cameras are unlikely to be an effective deterrent and that retailers should focus on improving training, staffing, and other safety measures instead. There are also concerns that the body camera footage could be misused, such as to monitor and discourage union organizing. Overall, the implementation of body cameras in retail is a complex issue with pros and cons that retailers will need to carefully consider.
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honestly, body cameras are more about liability after the fact. There’s really only two reasons to strap a camera on somebody- liability defense (cops, armed security guards, etc,) and being able to monitor what the fuck they’re doing. both are important when the individuals in question are armed. Not so much when the expected response is constructive cowardice.
There’s absolutely no way a body camera would act as a deterrent when traditional and AI-enhanced security cameras that they’re absolutely already using won’t. Also, I’m not entirely sure I believe that there’s massive waves of organized shoplifters.
There is- as noted in the article- a massive wave of unionization, though. and that would probably hurt their profits far more than any wave of shoplifting ever will.